


The Coming of Cafall

by schweet_heart



Series: Merlin Fic [55]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthurian, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Episode 1x02: Valiant, Episode Related, Episode Tag, Fluff and Crack, Gen, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, remix eligible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 01:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10064099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart
Summary: Episode tag to 1x02 (Valiant). After the feast, Merlin realises he's forgotten something rather important.





	

 

 

Merlin had forgotten about the dog.

 

When he returned from the feast, having finally been dismissed for the night, Gaius was sitting on one of the benches in the infirmary, his arms folded, one eyebrow raised. Even after so short a time in Camelot, Merlin had already come to recognise the expression on his face as one that did not bode well.

  
“What did I do now?” he asked, coming to a stop in the doorway. “If it’s about my using magic this afternoon, I swear nobody saw me. They were all too busy worrying whether Arthur was going to die to notice me conjuring the snakes to life.”

 

“I am aware of that,” Gaius said, very calmly. “However, I do wonder whether, in the excitement of being re-employed as Arthur’s manservant, there might have been something you’ve forgotten.”

 

“Something I’ve forgotten?” Merlin glanced around the room, wondering what Gaius was talking about. He hadn’t promised to clean out the leech tank or something, had he? “Like what?”

 

“Like that giant, slavering dog currently trapped in your bedroom,” Gaius said, with a pointed stare.

 

As if on cue, there came a loud, booming bark from inside Merlin’s chambers. The wooden door rattled on its hinges, and Merlin glanced between it and Gaius, then back again. “Oh.” 

 

“Yes, oh,” said Gaius, not altogether unkindly. “I suppose that means you have no idea what you’re going to do with it?”

 

“Well…” Merlin hedged. “Not exactly?”

 

Gaius sighed. “Well, you can’t keep it here. And sooner or later someone is going to notice that missing statue. You’d better find some way to turn it back into stone, and fast.” Another bark came from Merlin’s bedchamber, and Gaius’ other eyebrow shot up. “Preferably before it bites someone,” he added, and Merlin couldn’t help but agree.

 

This, however, turned out to be easier said than done. The dog, perhaps as a consequence of having been set in stone for the majority of its life, was a stubborn beast, and did not take kindly to Merlin’s attempts to retrieve the magic book from inside his room – Merlin considered it lucky that he escaped with all his fingers intact. His attempts to lift the enchantment he had cast only seemed to irritate it further. 

 

“Maybe it needs a walk,” Merlin speculated, after yet another fruitless attempt had cost him one of his good boots. It had disappeared into the animal’s maw with alarming speed, but on the bright side, Merlin had managed to rescue his foot just in time. “It can’t have been fun, being a statue all the time.”

 

“Yes, or more likely, it’s hungry.” Gaius looked meaningfully at Merlin’s feet. “It seems to have developed a particular taste for you, Merlin.”

 

“Just my luck,” Merlin said gloomily. It seemed further practice was called for.

 

Several hours later, the dog was still a dog, and Merlin was running out of ways to pronounce _wendan_ that might actually produce results. Eventually, he gave up, slamming the spell book closed and leaning his head on it with a defeated groan.

 

“It’s no use, Gaius. We’re going to have to keep him.”

 

“Oh no we’re not,” Gaius said. “I’m not having a dog running around knocking over my potions and terrorising my patients. There’ll be a trick to it, somewhere — you just  have to keep trying.”

 

So Merlin kept trying. And trying. He finally fell asleep somewhere around three in the morning, his throat dry and his brain stuffed full of cotton wool, and when he woke it was to find himself lying face first on his book of spells with a very irate prince poking him between the shoulder blades. Merlin sat up with alacrity, shoving the book under a pile of papers in the desperate hope that Arthur hadn’t seen it. Luckily the prince seemed to have other matters on his mind. 

 

“Do you have any idea what time it is?" he demanded, glowering at Merlin. "I’ve had no breakfast, my armour is still dirty, and I had to dress _myself_ this morning. Where have you been?”

 

“Sorry,” Merlin said, pushing back his hair and squinting up at him. “I overslept.”

 

“I can see that.” Arthur folded his arms. “Long night at the tavern, was it?”

 

“I wasn’t drunk!” Merlin exclaimed indignantly. “I was just — " He stopped, groping for an excuse that wouldn’t end up with him in the stocks. Fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on how one chose to look at it — the dog chose that moment to interrupt with another resounding bark from the direction of his bedroom. The animal really did have perfect timing.

 

“Is that a _dog?_ ” Arthur asked, striding towards Merlin’s chambers. “Why do you have a dog trapped in your room?”

 

“Sire, I wouldn’t — “

 

But of course, Arthur had already opened the door. Merlin cringed, waiting for the sound of royal screams as Arthur was torn limb from limb. When he opened his eyes, however, Arthur was crouching next to the dog — the great, ferocious, slobbering hellhound — and scratching its ears with one hand while the dog lathered his face with doggy kisses, whining like an eager puppy.

 

“Good boy,” the prince was saying. “Who’s a good boy, then?”

 

Merlin stared in disbelief as Arthur finally stood and told the dog to heel. The dog obeyed instantly, and Arthur turned back to look at Merlin.

 

“So?” he said, raising his eyebrows expectantly at his manservant. “Where did he come from?”

 

“Erm…”

 

Arthur’s forehead creased. “Merlin. Tell me you didn’t steal this dog.”

 

“No, of course not! He’s — he’s a stray! He just sort of wandered in here, so Gaius and I were…trying to figure out what to do with him.” Merlin didn’t dare look at Gaius as he said this, and instead tried to project an aura of innocence as Arthur stared at him.

 

“Well, he seems like a well-trained animal,” the prince said, looking down at the dog, which was still sitting obediently at his feet and panting up at him with an adoring expression. It would have been heart-warming, if it weren’t also irritating. “I could always use another hunting dog, if no one else comes to claim him. But perhaps you’d better keep him and ask around a bit first?”

 

“No,” Merlin said quickly. “No, I don’t think — “

 

“What Merlin is trying to say is that we’ve already inquired, sire,” Gaius cut in smoothly, silencing Merlin with a glare. He smiled at Arthur. “If you want to take charge of him, then he’s all yours. Isn’t he, Merlin?”

 

“Yes! Oh, yes, definitely,” Merlin said, nodding. He clasped his hands behind his back, and Arthur gave him an odd look, squinting at him like he knew something was going on and was trying to figure out whether he should pursue it. Fortunately, he seemed to decide not to bother.

 

“Very well, then. If you’re sure.” He took a step towards the door, and clicked his tongue at the dog. “I think I’ll call you Cafall. Would you like that?” The dog barked and bounded after him, tongue lolling out of its mouth, and Merlin and Gaius both shared a glance.

 

“Well, that's certainly a creature that knows who its master is,” Gaius said finally, with a look that said he was fighting a smile. 

 

“Stupid animal,” Merlin muttered under his breath. 

 

Gaius raised his eyebrows, and it looked like he was about to say something else when Arthur’s voice interrupted him.

 

“Merlin!” The prince shouted from some way down the corridor. “I hope you haven't forgotten about my breakfast!”

 

“Coming, Your Highness!” Merlin shouted back, shaking his head. He pointed a finger at Gaius. “Not a word.”

 

“My lips are sealed,” Gaius promised solemnly, but Merlin was pretty sure he heard him laughing as he scrambled out the door. 


End file.
